Thursday, 17 January 2019

As I write this column, Parliament has just rejected the Prime Minister's withdrawal agreement from the EU by a huge margin and we are about to face a day of debate in a confidence motion in the government. The one thing we know is that things can always get worse in politics!

However, out of the current chaos it is still possible that a consensus could emerge. The current impasse has been driven by a number of factors. Firstly, the country remains deeply divided over the decision to leave the EU and parliament reflects that. Secondly, too much emphasis was placed on what was "negotiable" with the EU and not enough on what would gain support back home and as a result, our negotiators made too many concessions that stored up serious problems that were then exposed when tested to a vote. Thirdly, Jeremy Corbyn desperately wants a General Election and that objective has been put above trying to find a settlement that the country could unite behind.

The default position now is that we leave the EU without an agreement and revert to what is called "WTO rules". The government has been actively planning for this contingency for two years since it was always a possibility. We are probably as ready as we could ever be. In my own department, Defra, huge amounts of work as gone into the systems that would be required for borders and for new documentation to accompany exports and to consider what our trade policy should be in a "no deal" scenario. However, it is likely that, even with this planning, there would be turbulence and problems that are hard to predict. Much would depend on whether the EU would behave in a responsible way and try to make things work smoothly or whether they would behave in a reckless way. We don't know exactly how smooth or difficult a no deal scenario would be.

The ideal answer therefore, is for parliament to reach an agreement on an alternative approach and then force the EU to do something they are not always good at - making a decision quickly. The first thing that needs to happen is for Jeremy Corbyn to have his day trying for a no confidence motion in the government but hopefully get defeated. By the time you read this article you will know the outcome of that no confidence motion. If we have a General Election now, then nothing can be done for six weeks and if there were a new Labour government at the end of it, they would then immediately cancel Brexit and betray all those who voted for change in 2016. However, if Jeremy Corbyn loses that vote of no confidence, then it will focus minds and it is then it is possible that the Labour Party will be willing to engage sensibly in a discussion about what sort of agreement the they would support.

The second thing we need to do is vanquish those who want to ignore the referendum result and force people to vote again until they learn to do what the political elites demand. There is no point at all having a second referendum if parliament lacks the integrity to honour the result of the first. A decision to ignore the 2016 referendum result would be deeply damaging to our country and must not be allowed.

However, we then need to reach a settlement that reflects the result of the 2016 referendum and allows parliament and our country to make peace with itself. I have said before that there is now growing momentum behind a so called Norway option that would mean we leave the EU with immediate effect but delay our departure from the EEA agreement. Under this option, we would become an independent country again with our own agriculture and fisheries policy but we would remain in a free trade area with the EU. It was actually Britain that invented the idea of a European Free Trade Association as a rival to the EU back in the 1950s. We built an alliance of seven countries at a time when the EU only had six. With hindsight we made a terrible mistake by abandoning what we had created and surrendering our independence to the EU in 1972. Maybe in the end we will pick up where we left off but there will be more argument before we get to that point.

Thursday, 10 January 2019

Now that Parliament has returned from the Christmas recess, much of the focus and attention will shift back to the ongoing Brexit negotiations. Parliament will have a huge decision to take about what we do next as a country. There are great divisions over how or, for some people, whether we should carry out the democratic decision to leave the EU. Although we are in the eye of the storm right now and it seems impossible to see a way through, it is just possible that there could soon be an outbreak of consensus.

Closer to home however, there have been a number of good news stories that demonstrate the work that is being done to support charities and businesses. Recently it was announced that the Government would be providing a funding boost of £5million to support lifesaving charities that work hard all year round to help keep our waterways safe. This funding has come as part of the inshore and inland lifeboat grant scheme which has provided £1million for charities every year since 2014.

The two charities in Camborne, Redruth and Hayle that received extra funding were Hayle Surf Life Saving Club and Surf Live Saving Cornwall. The money will help to pay for new boats, safety equipment and other costs to support rescue teams. We owe emergency service workers a debt of gratitude for the courage, commitment and dedication they demonstrate in keeping us safe.

Further Government support has also been provided to the Royal Cornwall Hospital’s Trust by the Government in a bid to help deliver improved clinical facilities and backlog maintenance. £9.1million of extra Government funding comes as part of the wider plan to provide better services for patients, integrate care better and renew aging facilities. It comes on top of the £20.5bn per year extra funding for the NHS over the next five years - the longest and largest funding settlement in the NHS's history. The investment is part of the wider plan to provide better services for patients, integrate care better and renew aging facilities.

Supporting our local communities also comes in different forms. Recently, I attended an event in Parliament hosted by the charity Guide Dogs to raise awareness of discrimination against guide dog owners. In the UK it is against the law to refuse access to a disabled person accompanied by an assistance dog except in the most exceptional circumstances. However, a recent Guide Dogs survey found that three quarters of assistance dog owners reported that they had been refused entry by businesses. It’s important that as we work to make society more inclusive and accessible for all that we continue to support those in our communities, including those who are the most vulnerable.

My office is always open to help assist people with queries or cases that they may have. If you have a problem that you need help solving, why not email us to provide some detail or drop into our Camborne office to arrange to meet one of our team. George Eustice can be contacted at george.eustice.mp@parliament.uk, by telephone on 0207 219 7032 or by appointment in our Camborne Office at 13 Commercial Street, Camborne, TR14 8JZ.

Friday, 4 January 2019

The New Year has always been regarded as a time for hope and optimism. For some, it is a chance to turn over a new leaf, stop smoking or start exercising. For others it’s a chance to take up a new hobby or reflect on what’s happened in the previous year.

The uncertainties that have dominated the Brexit negotiations mean that for some, we go in to this particular New Year with a degree of apprehension. Although we are in the eye of the storm right now and it seems impossible to see a way through, it is just possible that there could soon be an outbreak of consensus. I firmly believe however that 2019 will be a defining moment in our country’s history as we leave the EU and re-establish the rule of British law in many policy areas including agriculture and fisheries.

But closer to home there are many reasons to be optimistic. In the campaign to protect our greenfield sites we have achieved a number of victories protecting these valuable green spaces, particularly at Menehay Fields and Troon. I have always said that there should be a principle of building on brownfield sites before greenfield sites, especially around our towns. Developments should also be done with communities, not to them. Planning decisions will always be contentious but by working together with residents and local councillors we can help protect what makes Camborne, Redruth and Hayle such a beautiful place to live.

The work at Hayle Harbour has also continued to progress and earlier this summer I met the current owners to discuss their plans and to encourage them to move forward now that all the other work has been completed. Up next on the list is the other phases of the regeneration and the completion of the mixed development on the rest of South Quay and building the proposed flats and houses on North Quay.

At Redruth there has also been some great work done as the new Archive Centre is beginning to take shape, and at South Crofty, discussions are continuing with the owners of the mine on their plan to build a new modern mine targeting tin and lithium. This is an exciting time for the mine and local community as we rejuvenate an industry that is close to the hearts of many in Camborne and Redruth.

Finally, in Portreath, the local Parish Council are working with the Environment Agency and Cornwall Council to progress plans for a flood alleviation scheme. This is an important step forward for the local community as we look to protect homes and businesses in the face of the extreme weather which we continue to experience.

2018 was a turbulent year in British Politics and that looks set to resume when Parliament returns. In the meantime I would like to wish everyone a happy and prosperous New Year and a break from the arguments about Brexit!

If you have a problem that you need help solving, why not email us to provide some detail or drop into our Camborne office to arrange to meet one of our team. George Eustice can be contacted at george.eustice.mp@parliament.uk, by telephone on 0207 219 7032 or by appointment in our Camborne Office at 13 Commercial Street, Camborne, TR14 8JZ.

Tuesday, 1 January 2019

As I write this column, Parliament has just broken up for the Christmas period and the final Christmas Cards have been sent, ready to catch the last post in order to make it before Christmas.

In an increasingly digital age, where a Facebook post or digital Christmas message has become the norm, it’s refreshing that the tradition of Christmas cards plays a vital role in keeping touch with old friends and family. Throughout life, there are always old friends who we are in danger of losing touch with. Sometimes because they have moved away, changed job or are preoccupied with other priorities. The annual Christmas card is often the final thread that prevents you from losing touch altogether, so time writing cards is time well spent.

This year, as in previous years, I enlisted the help of local primary schools in the area to design my Christmas card. We certainly have many talented artists in this part of Cornwall! This year’s winning design was by Scarlet Tymms, and her as picked as the winner because of the wonderful design of looking through a window, seeing the festive holly and creating such a wonderful scene.

At this time of year we should also acknowledge the extra work we create for the Royal Mail with many millions of extra items of post to process in just a few short weeks in December and our postmen go out in the worst weather that a Cornish winter can throw at them in order to make sure that families and friends keep in touch and receive their Christmas cards on time.

It is also important to acknowledge that this time of year can often be a difficult and sometimes lonely time of year for people. We all get setbacks in life whether financial difficulty, a disability, problems with housing or difficulty getting the right benefits or support from the Council.

To make things worse, one of the frustrating things about modern life is that it sometimes seems hard to get through to anyone to explain the situation. We all have experience of being held in a queue for a telephone helpline only to be told when we do get through that we are in the wrong place.

I hold advice surgeries most weeks and also have a dedicated team who are here to help unblock problems. At any one time we have about 300 live cases where we are trying to assist people. We can't help in every case, but we always try our best. Our offices in Westminster and Camborne can offer help and advice, and where necessary, pick up the phone on your behalf to try and get the problems sorted.

If you have a problem that you need help solving, why not email us to provide some detail or drop into our Camborne office to arrange to meet one of our team. George Eustice can be contacted at george.eustice.mp@parliament.uk, by telephone on 0207 219 7032 or by appointment in our Camborne Office at 13 Commercial Street, Camborne, TR14 8JZ.

2018 has been a turbulent year in British Politics and it looks set to resume in the New Year. However, now that Christmas is upon us, I would like to wish everyone a happy and peaceful Christmas, prosperous New Year and a break from the arguments about Brexit!